Don’t Let the Heat Get You! An Interesting Link Between Your Spine and Temperature Regulation

As I’m sure you will know, it has been hot lately! Difficulty getting to sleep, an instant sweat when we step out a cold shower and sticky car seats.

But what is so remarkable, is that no matter what the temperature, our body stays the same. Yes, we may feel hotter, but our core temperature never changes (well by only a fraction).
If it was to increase, the results could be life threatening.

The normal temperature for a human is 37 degrees, so you can see how with the heat rising, it could endanger us. But the converse is also true, if the temperature plumets below freezing, our core must stay at 37 regardless.

So how on earth does that happen?

‘Thermoregulation’ is the fancy name given to regulating temperature, and it is controlled by a part of your brain called the hypothalamus. You can think of this as the thermostat of the body.

When it registers change in temperature, it commands changes in blood blow and body movement and sweating to cope and compensate. Simply put, if you’re hot, you sweat, and cold you shiver.
All of this is controlled by the hypothalamus.

And how does it get the messages from the skin (where we feel temperature) to the blood vessels to constrict or dilate, how does it tell the sebaceous glands to sweat or the muscles to shiver?

You guessed it, the Nervous System! The central nervous system, your brain and spinal cord, are set in motion by the hypothalamus to keep your temperature right and keep you safe.

This is music to a chiropractor’s ears, because when we adjust your spine, we are enabling your nervous system to work better, to be more efficient and help your body to regulate with ease.

So don’t just put off your adjustments because of the heat, for you never know, that adjustment might help you in the heat!

With love,

Tom